">
 

Tomahawk
Mit Gas


4.0
excellent

Review

by OrbDragon USER (34 Reviews)
January 14th, 2005 | 64 replies


Release Date: 2003 | Tracklist


Tomahawk is one of Mike Pattons (Fantomas, Lovage, ex-Mr Bungle) many bands ...however, it's supposed to be Duane Denisons (ex-Jesus Lizard) project instead. However, in Mit Gas, it's undebiable that Pattons influence has grown significantly since Tomahawks self titled debut. This is one of the best rock albums I've ever heard, because of the great variety in the songs. The difference between Tomahawk and Pattons hit band Faith No More is that Tomahawk has more of a signature sound, while Faith No More sounded pretty much like a different band each album.

01 Birdsong
This is an awesome opening track...its starts with an intro: a creepy guitar tune and eerie effects, with birds chirping, strangely enough...it's typical Patton stuff. An interesting offbeat drum loop kicks in with Pattons eerie screaming being a highlight. Than you hear those familiar crooning vocals Patton does. It builds very well to a heavy melodic core. I love the riff Denison plays after the first chorus. 4.7/5

02 Rape This Day
Rape This Day is more punk influenced than the other songs on Mit Gas. The intro is pretty cool, with a drving riff and Pattons crooning with the drums building things up with occasional fills. The riff is simple and catchy...a very cool rock-out song to go nuts with. The vocals are great as usual with Mike. 3.9/5

03 You Can't Win
This songs sounds like a bossa-nova lounge track on acid. It's undeniably influenced from Pattons Mr Bungle-days. The crazy electronic effect work suprisingly well. I really like Pattons hysterical vocals and the "we are the police and now we're gonna start a riot" falsetto. 4.2/5

04 Mayday
It starts with an ambient avantgarde-noise part, but you can skip that. It starts with just a drum&bass beat...after 4 bars it shifts in an amazing melodic sequence that hardly sounds like rock. Denisons guitar riff blends well with those cool electronic samples. The verse is strange, with Patton singing in one half of each earphone everytime. The chorus is very intense, with a cool guitar solo afterwards. 4.3/5

05 Rotgut
Another hard rocking song that shifts between loud and soft parts. Midway the beat speeds up a bit with a cool guitar assault by Duane. 3.7/5

06 Captain Midnight
It starts very melodic, with another drum/bass beat and a loungy riff by Duane...Patton sings very well here with that eerie falsetto of is. Suddenly the song explodes into the heavy, intense chorus. Patton isn't known for singing with alot of emotion...but in this part it's definately an exception. The song ends with another verse, but instead of going into a second heavy part, it ends. 4.1/5

07 Disastre Natural
A very cool ballad sung in Spanish...it's so typically Patton. I have no idea what the song is about, but I love it. Those strings are so Faith No More-ish...but the song itself sounds like Burt Bacharach with a little twist of Ennio Morricone. 4.5/5

08 When The Stars Begin To Fall
This one is amazing...it's probably the song that mostly defines Tomahawks signature sound. Slick basslines, heavy melodic guitar explosions, intense drumming and Mike Pattons psychotic vocals. I love the part with Pattons high pitch scream and when he shouts "Let's go!!!" and that short guitar solo comes...awesome. 4.6/5

09 Harelip
It's a funky, spooky track with some catchy vocal lines. The chorus has a really unique feel. A really solid track overall. 4.3/5

10 Harlem Clowns
A very eerie avantgarde-track. It's a good filler up track...my guess is that this is a bit how Fantômas' new disc will sound like. It may be just noise...but it's very listenable in my opinion...I never skip it. It ends with some guy naming all the big musicians who supposely can't read notes 3.4/5

11 Aktion 13F14
This track has a very country-ish riff with Patton naming the "basic principles of hand to hand combat" in a robotic, redneck voice. After the second chorus, that track comes almost unbearable to the ear, with loud heavily distorted beats and vocals. My least favorite on Mit Gas. 3.2/5

Overall I'd give this cd a 4.1/5...a good purchase for fans of experimental hard rock.



Recent reviews by this author
dEUS Pocket RevolutionmissAntarctica Lost Electricity
The National Bank The National BankThomas Dybdahl Stray Dogs
PJ Harvey DrydEUS Worst Case Scenario
user ratings (310)
3.9
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
YDload
January 2nd 2004


1207 Comments


I heard these guys opened for Tool, and the Tool fans booed them because they like Tool to an unhealthy extent, thereby narrowing their minds to the point that the message of their band does not reach them, and they become hypocrites.

Dimes Make Dollars
January 2nd 2004


241 Comments


I really, really need to buy this.

Zappa
January 2nd 2004


355 Comments


This album disappointed me to no end. I give it a 2/5 (it gets higher than a 1 because Desastre Natural is a good song; the rest is all forgettable at best). If you are a fan of other Patton work, I don't advise running out to buy this unless you have a wad of cash you want to throw away.

Dimes Make Dollars
January 3rd 2004


241 Comments


Yeah, but Duane Denison rules. So does Kevin.

Zappa
January 3rd 2004


355 Comments


[QUOTE=NachoChez]Yeah, but Duane Denison rules. So does Kevin.[/QUOTE]

I can't say if a Jesus Lizard fan would or would not like this album, because I don't listen to them. However, I can say that I personally think it's lame.

Dimes Make Dollars
January 3rd 2004


241 Comments


It doesn't sound like Jesus Lizard at all, based on their first album. But still, it's Duane.

Maveryck
January 3rd 2004


12 Comments


Good review. :thumb:

I'd give this album a 4/5.

It's not going to suit all tastes, but if you sit down with an open mind and an attentive ear and listen to it, it's a more-than-solid experimental album. Just enough melodic/rock-based content to keep it musically interesting, and punctuated with swathes of layered noise and ambient soundscapes. And Mike Patton's vocal performance (I dare not call all of it "singing" :p) glues it together nicely.

Definitely an acquired taste, but very good music if you can learn to appreciate it.

Zappa
January 3rd 2004


355 Comments


[QUOTE=Maveryck]Good review. :thumb:

I'd give this album a 4/5.

It's not going to suit all tastes, but if you sit down with an open mind and an attentive ear and listen to it, it's a more-than-solid experimental album. Just enough melodic/rock-based content to keep it musically interesting, and punctuated with swathes of layered noise and ambient soundscapes. And Mike Patton's vocal performance (I dare not call all of it "singing" :p) glues it together nicely.

Definitely an acquired taste, but very good music if you can learn to appreciate it.[/QUOTE]

Anyone 12 year old that likes Linkin Park can grasp this album. It's watered down Faith No More. I'm sorry if people think I'm being harsh, but the way people go on about this garbage, I have to provide some balance.

Maveryck
January 3rd 2004


12 Comments


[QUOTE=Zappa]Anyone 12 year old that likes Linkin Park can grasp this album. It's watered down Faith No More. I'm sorry if people think I'm being harsh, but the way people go on about this garbage, I have to provide some balance.[/QUOTE]


I think it's more out-there than you realise. The average Linkin Park fan would probably comment on the absence of a) phat b-boy stylez or b) headbangable riffs.

Sure, it's not the most avant-garde album available, but to say an album that features Mike Patton alternately growling about coming in a person's ear to the tune of birds chirping (Birdsong), then spouting over-pronounced verses in foreign languages (Disastre Natural, reminiscent of Mr. Bungle's Violenza Domestica) is nothing but "watered down Faith No More" comes off as a little snobbish (no offence intended).

If anything, Faith No More, however eclectic their style could be, was a case of Mike Patton being held back by the expectations of the mainstream. Tomahawk is one of the bands where Patton is liberated in a sense, and is free to pursue what he wants, in the musical company of other experimental artists (like Duane Denison, whose prior work I must make an effort to investigate).

It's just my opinion, but I think Tomahawk strikes the perfect balance between experimentalism and down-to-earth artistry, and Mit Gas is a very nice departure from the more laboured offerings of the progressive scene at large.

*is distracted by Mit Gas just starting in CD changer*

*will not argue his case any further*

OrbDragon
January 3rd 2004


152 Comments


^^^Agrees

I'm aware of the fact that some people are disappointed with Mit Gas because it's less experimental than Bungle or Fantômas...but I don't think it's a bad thing. If a Linkin Park fan buys Mit Gas...I wouldn't complain at all...because it might access him to Pattons other projects.

I think Mit Gas is a great album...it's got some good rock out songs that don't sound all that obvious...and some nice experimental stuff to balance it out a bit.

Zappa
January 3rd 2004


355 Comments


Of course, I didn't expect Fantômas from this record, or even Mr. Bungle. What I did expect was some good straightforward hard rock songs with good vocals. What I GOT was uninspired, derivative nu-metal with Patton giving his worst recorded performance. I listen to a lot of stuff that isn't experimental or avant garde, so saying that I only dislike it because it isn't out there enough is ridiculous. It's just plain bad.

OrbDragon
January 4th 2004


152 Comments


You are definately entitled to your opinion, Zappa. But I don't agree that Mit Gas is 'nu-metal'...just because some songs have a groove and some layered heavy-melodic guitars doesn't automatically put Tomahawk in the same catergory as bands like Korn or Disturbed.

In fact...almost half of the tracks on Mit Gas aren't close to 'hard rock', or as you put it 'dirative nu-metal'..."You Can't Win", "Disastre Natural", "Harlem Clowns", "Harelip" and "Aktion 13F14".

Theleftside2
January 5th 2004


36 Comments


I can never seem to have one favorite song of this album.

I've had many songs I thought were my favorite from it only to realize I like another song just as much.

Captain Midnight
Desastre Natural
When the stars begin to fall
Mayday
Bird song
and Aktion f1413

have all been some of my main favorites.


Oh and Orb ...Desatre Natural is just about that...a natural desaster, the lyrics are in spanish and translated here. http://www.asparagusproductions.com/tomahawk/

Good review. :thumb:

But I find Aktion F1413 to be really good.
It is a really good closing song. and I just love the noisy part after the drums are quieting down.

capt_midnight
January 6th 2004


3 Comments


i really liked this album from the start, but after hearing it all played live, it suddenly seemed 10 times better, i think theres alot of energy in the music that isn't really heard on the album. Great review Orb. Except Rotgut is a really amazing song if you give it a chance, its like the song has an identity of it's own, not like patton is speaking / singing to you, but the the song itself is. But then again, you cant give every song a perfect review, and whatever songs you give a bad review, there will always be some asshole trying to protect it, so great review.

Zappa
January 8th 2004


355 Comments


This thread like totally breaks the rules! Disagreeing is bad, because if we don't all have the same opinion people will be unhappy!

Theleftside2
January 8th 2004


36 Comments


^^:confused:

Zappa
January 8th 2004


355 Comments


Read the new rules, you'll get my totally bold political statement.

OrbDragon
January 9th 2004


152 Comments


I think it's great that someone gives his honest opinion wether he disagrees or agrees. I don't see what the problem is...no one is insulting each other. It's just disagreeing.

awwww SHOOT
February 16th 2004


2 Comments


Mit Gas is great. Capt. Midnight and Birdsong are godly. I guess the biggest flaw is that it's too short an album. It's about as good as their self-titled, just a different direction. But anybody who doesn't like Tomahawk just because it's less experimental than Fantomas and Mr. Bungle is using a pretty stupid reason not to like them.

Blue Collar Tweeker
February 18th 2004


24 Comments


I love this album, it was definately one of my favorite releases of 2003. Zappa I got to totally disagree with everything you said. To call Tomahawk a watered down verison of Faith No More is crazy. If anything Tomahawk is on their way to passing Faith No More IMO.



You have to be logged in to post a comment. Login | Create a Profile





STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS // CONTACT US

Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Site Copyright 2005-2023 Sputnikmusic.com
All Album Reviews Displayed With Permission of Authors | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy